Banjara Castes and Sub-castes: Gotra (Family) Tree Gor Banjara is not a caste but a tribe. The All India Banjara Sewa Sangh has identified following names of Gor Banjaras in the country based on a nationwide study. 1) Banjara 2) Banajara 3) Banjare 4) Banjari 5) Brijjari 6) Brijwasi 7) Labhan 8) Lamani 9) Lambhadi…
The Tanda System Every group had a leader. They needed grasslands for their cattle. C.N. Luniya says: “The cattle was the real wealth of the Aryans. The wealthiness of a person was decided on the basis of the amount of cattle with him.” (Indian Culture by C.N. Luniya, page 38). The Gors had similar tradition….
Worship and Devotion The Tanda of Gors followed some definite principles of life. The references to their faith in life and work are seen in the prayer of the goddess. Gors are worshippers of Goddess. The goddesses viz. Tulaja, Mathara, Sitala, Hingala, Kankali, Durga, Maryamma are called as Banjaran goddesses in Nimad region. The goddess…
Worship and Devotion The Tanda of Gors followed some definite principles of life. The references to their faith in life and work are seen in the prayer of the goddess. Gors are worshippers of Goddess. The goddesses viz. Tulaja, Mathara, Sitala, Hingala, Kankali, Durga, Maryamma are called as Banjaran goddesses in Nimad region. The goddess…
Rajasthani Dhundh Song हरि हरि हरियो …ले ज्यू ज्यू चम्पा लहरि यो.. हरि… एडियो रा ऐडा खेडा कमली गाय कमली गाय… बाहर भोजन चरता जाय… चरता चरता मांगे हिंग एतरा हुओ रे एतरा हुओ। [Festival Songs of Rajasthan by Dr. Jagmalsingh, page 29] The birthday boy is blessed after this ritual and the following song…
Gol Khayer Gol Khayer means eating the jaggery. This event is organized prior to the marriage. After consuming jaggery the engagement is supposed to be fixed. Normally the event is organized at the boy’s Tanda. People from both sides gather under a big tree or Mango groove outside the Tanda. The bridegroom is brought there….
Taangadi Kholer The relatives are given lunch with sweets on the next day or sometimes a goat is sacrificed to the reigning deity and a feast is given to the relatives. All the women from the Tanda gather in the groom’s house in the afternoon and the belongings in the Taangadi given to the bride…
Dialect We have 179 languages and 544 dialects in our country. Gor Banjara people call their dialect as Gor Boli or Gormati. Almost 2 crore people speak Gormati dialect in India today. It is spoken in about 17 provinces. Gor Banjara have also learned the language of other provinces and still maintained their own Gor…
Gor Banjara Folk Literature The folk literature of Gor Banjara people is still preserved orally. I have written a separate book on Gor Culture. Here I am trying to present different references to the folk literature. The cultural history of any tribe is incomplete without the study of the concerned folk literature. Renowned poet Ravindranath…
Ritugeet (Song of the Seasons) “वादळन पाणीं ये, पाणीं आयो आंदाधुंद बाई….. नदी नरमदा ये, नदी आई भरपूर बाई नदीयारो पाणी. ये, गोडीयान आवरोछ बाई नदी नरमदा ये…. वादळन पाणीं ये, पार्णी आयो आंधा धुंद बाई…. नदीयारो पाणीं ये, छतीयान आवरोछ, बाई नदी नरमदा ये नदीयारो पाणीं ये, गळेण आवरोछ, बाई नदी नरमना ये कु…
